focus

Things were better in the old days!(?) We’ve all heard this saying many times. But from a design perspective it’s counterproductive. Everything in our world changes – some things very quickly, others barely perceptibly. Our behaviours change to adapt to the new tools and technologies we surround ourselves with, and these are evolving at an astounding rate. Architecture, however, changes slowly. Buildings are roughly the same, with a number of storeys and various rooms for different tasks. We add roughly the same furnishings and furniture to these rooms as we have always done. It seems as though interior design often focuses more on what things are usually like instead of what they could be like. Technology, industry and processes develop rapidly and create new opportunities. Our industry today is completely different to that of 50 years ago. But we still make the same furniture – albeit in hypermodern machines. For a sustainable future, we must start challenging what is generally accepted and look more closely at industry, technology and materials. We must dare to question and see materials and processes from a different perspective. Innovations do not sprout up spontaneously; they grow out of knowledge, hard work and inquisitiveness about the unknown, the as-yet unmade. When we at Blå Station develop new products, a large part of our analysis concerns our behaviour and the environments we spend time in, what works and what can be changed and improved. The second part of the analysis is all about finding problems – problems that we believe can be solved. Our great strengths are function and innovation. We have compiled an unusually large number of innovations, challenges and development projects in our past 26 years. I don’t need to list them all – simply ask us – and we’ll start with a round ring and formaldehyde in 1986… and now, in 2013, we have Dent. So, from our design perspective we say… everything can get better! Johan & Mimi

Jon Lindström & Henrik Kjellberg

Inquisitive Analytical Inventive Committed Feeling for form

Stubborn Methodical Introverted Social Atheistic

Dent The Dent chair challenges the idea of the sleek and beautiful. It is the antithesis of perfect. It is a chair never seen before and, we dare to say, won’t leave anyone indifferent. The story of Dent chair started with the idea of trying to achieve the impossible: to mould a double-curved 3D surface out of regular veneer. At the same time, the story of Dent is the story of how the rejected became the selected. We have had many years’ experience of designing chairs using traditional plywood moulding techniques, always trying to extend the boundaries of what is possible without “cheating” by using expensive 3D veneer. With Dent we decided to be even bolder, by taking a step beyond where we have already been, out of our comfort zone and into the unknown. For us, the beauty of Dent lies in the resilience of the material, and in the memory of that sudden, magical turn that a project can take, when you manage to think outside the box – or don’t think at all! Some people might be tempted to believe that the idea for Dent has its origins in a humble little table napkin (the nearest thing to hand when no one had a pen) that was first crumpled up and then rejected, tossed away. Only to be found again – and saved! That’s a great story! But the truth is that Dent was created out of the blood, sweat and tears that were shed in countless efforts to transform a hard, flat surface into a double-curved shell that comfortably cradles the human body. Could there be a new way to treat the surface in order for us to achieve our goal? After innumerable prototypes we were almost on the verge of giving up, when suddenly our eyes were opened to a totally new perspective and we realized – crazy as it may sound – that all those irregular dents and wrinkles were not our enemies; they were our best friends! Say hello to Dent!

Dent

Dent

Problem solving Progressive Innovative

When it comes to compression-moulded wood, Sweden is skilled – a world leader – but 3D veneer has brought development to a halt because the material is expensive and not always economically justifiable. So, how do you find new paths and possibilities? Blå Station sees opportunities in ideas and tries to understand the theory and find implementation methods in industry. If we succeed, it can lead to an innovation and new development that may solve new challenges. How can you 3D-form an ordinary veneer? Dent made the impossible possible!

Thomas Bernstrand

Impatient Restless Energetic Assertive Reliable Innovative

Vivi

Updated Well-balanced Contemporary

Form isn’t fixed. Form isn’t static. Furniture like Vivi is traditional and functional, and updating this kind of furniture is among the toughest challenges to be found. Success depends on the ability to produce a well-balanced product that captures the spirit of the times. Vivi wooden chair is a real “darling”. A shell chair in layer-glued wood with legs or runners to ensure it is at home in every environment, from café to auditorium. A masterpiece of balance that acquires even greater elegance with its ash veneered and matt lacquer finish. The impressively tight radius of Vivi’s legs and seat give it the feel, the look and the vitality that few other layer-glued chairs can match. The layer-glued runners mean that the chair is extremely stable in form, strong and stands firm and steady. A furnishing solution with chairs that are made exclusively in wood not only creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere, but wooden chairs are also quieter than other chairs. All of which makes Vivi a smart choice wherever more than one chair is needed. Vivi is available with armrests, link fittings and writing tablet and there is also a trolley for storing or moving the chairs. All the different versions of Vivi are stackable with just 30 mm spacing – an impressive feat for any wooden chair. With specifications like these, Vivi looks set to make many new friends.

Vivi

Vivi

Design: Thomas Bernstrand

Size

Functional Versatile Accommodating

SIZE is a table system that means it is now possible to say YES to almost all customer requests, needs and wishes in terms of tables. As the name implies, this is a series of tables that can be adapted to every conceivable size. The idea is to put customer needs first and foremost. Customers should be free to focus on the size and shape of tabletop they want. Once that is done, the geometry of the underframe construction is straightforward. SIZE can be constructed as a pedestal table or one with legs at the corners of the tabletop. SIZE tables can be round with either three or four legs, oblong, square or even triangular in shape. They can be large or small, high or low. And, whatever the form, the underframe has been designed to adapt easily to every imaginable shape and size. SIZE table is made of solid ash, but is also available in other finishes and colours. It is as much at home in conference rooms, cafés, offices and other public spaces as it is in a domestic setting.

Size

Mia Cullin Dreamer Headstrong Ambitious Committed

Pond Functional Decorative Inspired

When what is functional is beautiful and decorative too, its appeal becomes almost irresistible. I wanted to design a slightly larger table, but one that would be easy to move around. The result was two tables – a crossover between coffee table and tea trolley, where the wheels and the handle define the function. The design is uncomplicated; the milled tabletop and the leather-covered handle are the most eye-catching features. The table’s shape has been inspired by a lily-pad, triggering positive associations with one of nature’s most iconic supporting surfaces. There’s a 1950s feel to it, as well. Both in the shape and the choice of materials. Modern. Retro. (In the back of my mind I saw Franco Albini’s Cicognino table from 1953 and Tadao Ando’s Water Temple with its roof in the form of a round pond cut in two by the stairway leading to the shrine below.)

Pond

Andre We are family…. We often say that here at Blå Station we adopt one another … we adopt other people, as well… people we like… new colleagues, designers, suppliers… no one slips under our radar. And, once you’re adopted by us, you’re free to think as you wish, say what you want and simply be the way you are. It’s perfectly OK if that means being a little bit different. In fact, it’s positive! A few new ideas and different ways of thinking can spark discussions that lead to some truly intriguing discoveries.

Leo

Most of those we adopt stay with us for a long, long time… some venture out into the big, wide world... but they usually come back home again. We’re like one big family. Sure, we have our ups and downs now and again. That’s in the nature of things, after all. But it’s a wonderful feeling when the soothing tones of Rodriguez stream forth from the loudspeakers, everyone is hard at work and a sensation of tranquillity settles over the scene.

Bosso

Our furnishings are like families, too. We don’t have many lone wolves in our collection. Of course, there are one or two stand-alone products. The kind that stand out in the crowd – but always in the right way. You need a few unconventional types in every group to create the right dynamics… This year a couple of our designers have taken another look at the already well-established families of furnishings they have created; Dundra has been blessed with new siblings, as have Wilmer and Koja and Taylor and Straw. We thought the time seemed ripe to step back and take stock of what we already have – a truly awesome collection that deserves to be developed further for what it is, rather than to be given a new dimension. Sometimes sharpening the focus is the best strategy there is to see the way ahead more clearly. The grass can be greenest where you’re actually already standing – you just have to water it.

Mimi

Andreas

Fredrik

Isaac

Leo

Malin

Marcus

Bosson

Pimmen

Johan

Mimi

Mårten

Joel

Osko + Deichmann

Vivid imagination Convincing Precise Questioner

Ironic Bold Perceptive Curious

Superkink Brash Pioneering Attainable

In 2010 we revolutionized tubular steel furniture with our introduction of Straw chair. By kinking the tube into sharp bends instead of the conventional soft curves, we created a previously unenvisaged aesthetic effect and made an audacious design statement. Now – after Straw lounge chair and Straw barstool – Straw’s big brother has arrived on the scene: the Superkink!. Like all older brothers, Superkink is bigger, stronger, full of self-confidence and will do anything to defend his siblings. Superkink comes in the form of an armchair and sofa, with super-sturdy 35 mm tubing and super-comfortable upholstery. The impressive diameter of the tubing shows off the elaborate shape of the kinks and makes them the centre of attention. Meet Superkink in person at the 2013 Stockholm Furniture fair. May the kink be with you!

A pipe with kinks or folds in it has always been regarded as a failure, but by carefully selecting where and how to place the kinks, they become decorative details that also retain their strength. Straw, the first chair with kinks in its metal tubes, received the +1 award at the 2010 Stockholm Furniture Fair. Since then the Straw family has grown to include a lounge chair and a bar stool. We’re now maintaining and nurturing this new family situation, and also showing that what can be seen as a failing can be a success.

Straw chair in Barcelona

Superkink

Stefan Borselius

Engaged Inventive Methodical Technical Accurate Thoughtful

Dundra

Successful Extensive Varied

Let me tell you about my family. A fantastic collection that I love so much. Wife, kids, brothers and sisters, parents. Like me in many ways, but all individuals nevertheless. Cousins, half-cousins, in-laws and all the other relatives I call family. Different personalities, different temperaments. Various shapes and sizes. Different, yet so alike. They’re all good-looking, of course. I love them all. My family is growing, too. More and more of us all the time. That makes me happy, as well. Some have settled up north, others have moved down south. All of them have found their place in the world. All are doing well in the jobs they’ve been given. They’re my family. And I love every one of them.

Dundra chairs in Stockholm

Dundra

A successful, thriving family that keeps on growing. Needs exist and customers exist, so we’re adding new products to cater for additional requests and make the Dundra family as complete as possible. It all actually started with a sofa called Dunder 2010. A soft shape built up of cushions, covered buttons, extendable sections – it was friendly and inviting. Then we launched the first Dundra chair, bar stool and bar chair in 2011, and now we’re adding a stackable sofa, an armchair and a stackable stool. The series has also gained upholstered armrests that can be fitted to the sofa, easy chair, chair and bar chairs. Seven new family members. Welcome!

Design: Stefan Borselius

Wilmer T in Mörrum

Wilmer T was launched in 2012. Wilmer is a hybrid between a dining chair, an office chair and an easy chair. The first of its kind. Wilmer retains all the advantages of the various chairs that are traditionally used for “active sitting”, such as the higher seat height and the compact size. But it combines these with the upholstery of an easy chair to provide a more relaxing, more comfortable seat. Wilmer T has also been divided – just like the human brain – into right-side, left-side functions. One side with a high armrest for mental processes, such as reflection and creativity, the other with a low armrest and split-level tables for activities such as eating, drinking, working, studying, or fixing things in general. The tables themselves are also different: one which can be adjusted to cater for various types of active use, the other which is fixed for use as a surface on which to place the things you need close at hand. Wilmer is more than just a chair; it’s a modern, multi-tasking piece of equipment. Now in 2013 we will see more of Wilmer….Wilmer C is a natural further development of the asymmetric chair Wilmer T and Wilmer S that was launched in 2012. This sibling is symmetrical, but not anonymous… A comfortable upholstered conference chair or a neat little easy chair depending on the context in which it is used. Wilmer C has four legs, but can also be fitted onto the same underframe as Wilmer T and Wilmer S. Now that Wilmer has started a family it might continue to grow, so keep a lookout!

Wilmer

Carefully considered Multifunctional Chair/easy chair

Wilmer C

Fredrik Mattson

Koja Meeting place Workplace Relaxation place

Hotels are currently undergoing a renaissance, but why do many hotel rooms and hotel lobbies look the same as they always have done? Today, the hotel lobby has again become the place where you book your quick meetings in town; with free Wi-Fi you can easily get online, order a coffee and sandwich, and hold an efficient meeting. These spaces have given rise to the need for furniture that serves as a fitting complement to a building’s conventional conference rooms – furniture offering a more creative, more modern and more intimate setting in which to meet. A room within a room. These semi-private “islands in the sea”, where people can come together under less formal circumstances, encourage quicker, creative meetings without the inhibiting restraints of closed doors. Inside a rigid shell of compression-moulded ash, Koja offers a pleasant, secluded environment with a sound-absorbent textile screen and soft cushions. The Koja family was launched in 2009 with four members: an easy chair and sofa with a high or low backrest. Koja Hotel is a new addition this year and is spacious enough for two, and generous if you sit on it alone. With a swing table, it is a complete “cosy up, eat, work, meet” piece of furniture. Flexible with a lot of function in little space. Koja Hotel’s functionality meets the needs of all sorts of hotel environments. And it is equally at home in the lobby as in the hotel rooms. The swing table can be fitted to all Koja models.

Koja High sofa in Stockholm

Koja

Mia Gammelgaard Curious Open-minded Inquisitive Responsive

Taylor Simple Pared down Honest Anti-design

Last year we asked ourselves how simply we could visualise and construct an easy chair without it becoming just another ordinary one. With Taylor, we have created what could have been just a comfortable but common easy chair, but Mia Gammelgaard highlighted the details (inspired by the clothing industry) on the chair, and by doing so made Taylor a simplified yet distinctive easy chair with its own strong integrity that is equally well suited to home life as public spaces. We think that now is the right time to extend Taylor slightly and add some space for a friend, in the new Taylor sofa.

Taylor in Mörrum

Taylor

Klim A4

Bimbo O6O

Bimbed O61

Bimbord O61

Söndag O62

Sparta B15

BePlus B+

Pall B2

B4-47

B4-65

B4-82

Hippo O2O

Latte II O27

Latte I O26

Straw Lounge

Straw O35

Straw Bar O37

Chair 69 O69

Chair 69 O69A

Sting O3O

Sting O3OA

Gecco O33

Gecco O33

Dundra S71

Dundra S7O

Dundra S72

Dundra S72

Dundra S73

Dundra S73

Boo O48

Boo O48A

Peek High O45H

Peek Swivel O46H

Peekaboo O44

Peekaboo S O43

Spook O41

Wilmer S O55

Wilmer T O56

Innovation C O7O

Ella O76

Elle O74

Oppo O5O

Oppo O5OA

Oppo O52

Oppo O52A

Puppa O53

Oppo O52F

OppoCement

Polstergeist S2O

Ally SO6

Ally SO6

Pebble S4OO

Pebble S4O1

Pebble S4O2-S4O3

Taylor S36

PM

Antoinette S55

B25

B26

L25 table

Hövding B8M-B8L

Koja S51H

Koja S51L

Koja S52H

Dunder S6O1

Dunder S6O2

Dunder S6O5

Dunder S6O4

Dunder S6O3

Dunder S6OO

Qvarto S1O middle

Qvarto S1O stool

Qvarto L1O table

Qvarto L1O table

Qvarto S1O corner

Fellow S3OO

Fellow S3O1-S3O2

Koja S52L

Fatback SO1

Fatback SO1

8L

e

Big Island O82

Small Island O8O

Big Island L82

Small Island L8O

Cabin L50

Mono High L88

Mono Low L89

Mika L28

L1

Babel L3O

Bit L6

Bit L7

Ping-Pong L23 bench & table

Ping-Pong L23 bar table

Long Island L8O

Visp

Straw L35

Clip L41

Level L32

Potamus L20

Simsalabim L21

Denmark Niels Kilian Mobile +45 4032 0704 [email protected]

Austria Objekt Direkt Agentur Tel +43 662 88 3151 [email protected]

Norway Canvas Tel +47 994 24 050 [email protected]

Spain Casa Contract Tel +34 932 432 677 Mobile +34 639 239 004 [email protected]

United Kingdom Inform Furniture Ltd Tel +44 20 7228 3335 [email protected] Holland BOL Interieur Agenturen Tel +31 653 26 33 15 [email protected] Germany 0-6 Objektagentur van Laar Tel +49 421 6966 7600 [email protected] Germany 7-9 One11, Rainer Schäfer Mobile + 49 177 6429268 [email protected]

Italy Giovanni Aita Tel/Fax +39 081 013 43 67 Mobile +39 339 666 59 59 [email protected] France Atipik Contract – Agence Tel +33 6 70 92 82 21 [email protected] Finland Stanza OY Tel +358 44 55 90 901 [email protected]

2O13

Blå Station AB Box 1OO S-296 22 Åhus. Sweden Tel: +46 (O)44 24 9O 7O Fax: +46 (O)44 24 12 14 Showroom: Blå Station Sibyllegatan 9. Stockholm [email protected] www.blastation.se